The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-12-27

5 1. SVeiss> NsFtftf'S a. t.ife Inc New RN8 n
Times taxing psoaiaeaj stsg5 ,a defense
( of ;Ae SaojA against the charge q s.,GVreS-
. Sian 81 ilsc easase5 vote; sa5 Wei 5SiS aNle
jearslaf, al oae 5zas foremost anos>E those
wAose aA,see ana aaaupeiatjoa Of t,aa o,et-
,5on methods q tha Sog,b was character
F lied ey partisan aslqed sn6 sectional '0aits-
n3ty. contains In = recenj issue die '0o$t
stalking nro5a>t which bss vej spaosve3 in
any northern papa7, against jAe bloody s}iri
( policy Of The republicans for 1855.
The giHaes is 4 republican paner hat IS
generally a vely FAIR one, is criticisms are
open and frank, and its coarse Is NOT CON
tvolled ny tho lash az its party. ltbelieyed
Nj. Blaine 10 be corrupt man, ana Mr.,
Cleveland an honest ono, ana ]. supported
The latter for The presidency. Il did not
sever rs parry alliance, b,,j has since stood
many years The chief organ.
IN outlining lis policy for the next cam
paign, the republican party has clearly de-
jeymined TO make the alleged suppression of
the colored vote in the south one of its
leading issues. On this the Times has a
column editorial, which is an admirable pro-
duc;ion, and should commend itself to the
fair-minded voters of all parties. 1t says:
Those republican politicians who still think there
capital foT their party in keeping up sectional ag.
.a5ioa ard firing the northern heart with southern
outTages sFe trying desperately to make an issue
q the alleged suppression of the republican vote in
southern states. The difficulty which confronts
them lies in the fact that the northern people want
10 more sectional agitation, and entirely will
Ing leave the elections in southern states to the
control OF the people of those states.
Speaking of the outrages of the republi-
can carpet-baggers who overran the south
after the war, and of the causes which
prompted the necessity OF counteracting the
evils OF their dastardly regime, in which
they ran rough shod over the people by their
control over the negro vote, the Times
says:
Cnprepared TO exercise intelligently or CONSIDER
tiously their newly acquired rights the negroe fell
under the leadership OF unscrupulous men and
were arrayed against the people who had the largest
interest in the good order and good government of
the reconstructed states. The result was incapacty
extravaganza and fraud in public affairs, and a bur-
lesque on popular government The native south
ern people, who felt that they had the right to con-
troll affairs in their states saw no salvation for
their public or private interests except in oyercom-
ing the power which was thrust upon them
The north soon admitted that federal interference
TO sustain state governments which rested ON the
ignorant negro vote and were managed mainly by
greedy end unscrupulous Adventures, could not be
maintained Public opinion Withdrew all support
and nearly dozen years ago the whole fabric went
to pieces.
As to the so-called suppression of the
colored vote in the south at this time, the
Times dsmisses the question, as being an
appeal to sectional passion, which cannot
deceive the intelligent people of the north,
saying:
Outrage, violence and election frauds diminished
in proportion the necessity for them ceased. For
the last two years little has been heard of them but
election returns show that many votes are withheld
from the ballot box for reason another. Col
ored voters may have become Indifferent after find
ing that the ills which they were taught to expect
from democratic ascendency did not befall them,
and easily induced not to vote. More or less also,
they have begun to divide their votes between the
parties In rot voting or in voting for democratic
candidates, they are probably Influenced by no
worse inducements than used in northern states
to sway the action Of voters whose intelligence and
honesty not sufficient to guide their political
action.
Such words, from such source, cannot
fail to have effect with the people of the
north, who have already rebuked the sec
tional animosity which few party bosses
have sought to attribute to the republican
party as whole. Mr.. Blaine went to pieces
on this rock, and if its present policy is
pursued, the republican party will receive
its ultimate defeat in clinging to it.